The Laboratory Core will support the program project investigating the clinical and cellular aspects of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), including research projects investigating mechanisms of insulin resistance in liver, muscle, and adipose tissue from NIDDM and obese humans and lipoprotein metabolism. Specifically, the Laboratory Core will direct, organize, coordinate, and perform anatomic and clinical chemistry analysis of all the research projects. Light microscopic assessment of liver and muscle tissue submitted at the time of gastric bypass surgery for morbid obesity will be performed along with electron microscopic examination of liver, muscle and cultured tissue cells. Muscle histochemistry and immunohistochemistry examination on liver tissue will complement the histologic and electron microscopic evaluation. Clinical chemistry studies including radioimmunoassay and other laboratory analysis will support all four projects. These morphologic and clinical chemistry analyses will support research projects hoping to bridge the gap of cellular research and clinical investigation into the mechanisms of insulin resistance seen in type II diabetes mellitus.